I make sure neither of them notice me as I slip into the chapel of the building. Neglected, long wooden pews fill most of the interior. Aurora sits in front of the altar, shivering in a long dress that covers her stunning body. Angelo Giordani paces the room in front of her, barking orders into a phone.
I make sure to stay hidden and neither of them notices me. My hand covers the gun in the holster, which I know I'm going to have to use sooner rather than later. The itch to shoot that Giordani bastard's brains out is strong and I can barely resist my instincts.
He finally ends the call and faces Aurora.
"Please," she says in a broken voice. "Just let me go. They're already on your trail. Perhaps they'll go easy on you if you turn yourself in."
"A Giordani never waves a white flag," he hisses in response. "Don't be fucking stupid."
"I want to go home," she begs. "Please. You'll be rewarded. Please. Let me go back home to Ryder."
Her words warm me from the inside, and I find myself mesmerized by the sight of her. Despite her absence and how she must've been treated, she looks more beautiful than I've ever seen her. She's practically glowing.
But Angelo must not be feeling the same way, because he backhands her across the face hard when she's done speaking. It's all the push I need.
Emerging from the shadows, I point my gun at the bastard. "Get the fuck away from my woman, Giordani."
He whips around and his face falls when he sees me. Aurora's face lights up but he turns to face her, barking, "Don't get up. Stay right where you are."
Shivering, she keeps her position as Giordani slips behind her and I advance on them, saying, "Take your goddamn hands off her, Giordani. Don't make me blow every one of your fingers off, you filthy fuck ."
But he doesn't listen to a word I'm saying. Instead, he pulls out his own gun and Aurora shrieks as he points it to her temple. I pale.
"Don't you fucking dare," I say in a booming voice. "You hurt her, I'm going to take my time torturing you and your whole fucking famiglia before throwing you to the pigs.”
"You really mean that, Bernardi?" he asks with a smirk. "I think this little blonde prize over here means more to you than my blood on your hands."
"Unhand her," I demand, but he just smirks, pushing the barrel of the gun into Aurora's temple as she starts to cry, her eyes locked with mine.
"What?" Giordani asks innocently as my hand holding the gun trembles in anticipation. "You don't think I'd do it? I've killed plenty of times before. And I fucking want to see the look on your face when you watch your beloved slut’s brains splattered all over the walls."
I can't hold in my rage anymore. I fire off a warning shot in the air, making my woman shriek, but Angelo merely laughs. But I'm serious and I'm not backing down. A dog that barks, has no bite – he's not going to hurt Aurora, because deep down, he's a goddamn coward.
I fire off another shot and the bullet buries itself deep in Angelo's shoulder. The man curses out loud and his blood spatters Aurora's face. His hand hangs uselessly, the gun he was holding clattering to the floor. Aurora whimpers and attempts to move away, but Giordani grabs her with his good arm, twisting her hair in his fist.
"She's coming with me," he says.
"You want another bullet?" I hiss.
But then he does something I don’t expect. He pulls Aurora to her feet and before I get the chance to fire off another shot, my gaze focuses on her belly and my eyes open wide.
She's... she can't be... it can't...
Before I can stop him, Angelo pushes Aurora forward and she screams, falling to the floor in front of the altar.
"Principessa!" I run toward her while Angelo disappears into the hallway. I curse out loud. I know I should go after him, but all I can think about is my princess's broken shape on the ground.
Heart beating with expectation, I launch myself at her and pick up her body from the ground. She's shivering, probably freezing cold in her dress. That bastard is going to pay for all this.
Just then, the place fills with Bernardi men. Commotion ensues, screams and orders are barked as I point the men in the direction Giordani disappeared. My brothers go after him, but I'm left with my unconscious bride on the ground, fingers stroking her swollen belly.
It has to be true, as much as I can't believe my luck.
She's pregnant.
Aurora is carrying my child.
And it may or may not be too late for me to bring her back.
A doctor is rushed to the scene and by the time he arrives, Aurora still hasn't woken up. Her eyes flutter open and closed and she sometimes lets out a groan that's painful as fuck to my ears. My hands shake as I hold her in my arms, not allowing anyone else to come near her.